lesson from Taiwan health system

From watching Frontline: Sick Around America, we all learned that Taiwan has single-payer health system with universal coverage at relative affordable cost. Although Taiwan is a small nation with spending half of GDP as US, how do they manage demand vs. supplies sides and balance revenues vs. costs? In Taiwan, people have smartcard, uniform system of electronic health records, which gives doctors their basic medical background. This is not only saving health care administrative cost but also good way to track their health status as well as monitoring utilization of health care system. One thing different from Canadian health system is that Taiwan system has shorter waiting list and they are free to choose any doctors without using gatekeepers. I really like the fact that Taiwan health insurance covers both western and oriental medicines as well as dental and prescription drugs even nursing home (wide comprehensive coverage) at low cost for all. They also focus more on preventive medicines by offering wide coverage from Chinese natural herbs and acupuncture as well as western medicines. I am not sure whether single payer system or socialized health system works or not in US but I think US can learn that we can have universal coverage and good quality health care system while still managing to control health care costs.